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Silver Star Medal (SSM)

By act of the US Congress on July 9th 1918, the Silver Star Medal was instituted as "Citation Star". The decoration then was not more than a small silver star that could be worn on the ribbon of any campaign decoration. The Congress decided in 1932 that a star could be awarded for actions dating back to the Spanish-American war in 1898. The decoration was then given a new name as Silver Star Medal and was newly designed. The original "Citation Star" was placed in the middle of the new design. The designer of the new Silver Star Medal was Rudolf Freund of "Bailey, Banks and Biddle".
On August 7th, 1942, the American Congress decided that the Silver Star Medal also could be given to civilians.
The decoration comes in the form of a gold coloured star, with in the central part a laurel wreath. In the middle of this one can find the smaller Silver Star from the "Citation Star". On the reverse, the medal bears the words "FOR GALLANTRY IN ACTION".
The first real Silver Star Medal was awarded to General Douglas Mac Arthur in August 1932. He received it with six times the Oak Leaves, which means he received the Silver Star Medal seven times at once.

The Ribbon is white and has two blue stripes near the sides and a red stripe over the middle.

The decoration could be awarded to a person who, while serving in any capacity with the US Army, is cited for gallantry in action against an enemy of the United States while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force, or while serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party. The required gallantry, while a lesser degree than that required for award of the Distinguished Service Cross, must nevertheless have been performed with marked distinction.

Only for the first time the Silver Star Medal is being awarded, the recipient really received the medal. Within the US Army and the US Army Air Force/US Air Force, a Bronze Oak Leave was received for every further Silver Star Medal. The Oak Leave was to be worn on the ribbon of the first Silver Star Medal. Within the US Navy, US Marines Corps and the US Coast Guard, a Golden Star was received.
For every fifth Bronze Oak Leave or Golden Star a Silver Oak Leave or Silver Star was received.

Abbott, Earl Leroy "Abby"* January 8th, 1919
† January 24th, 1945

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Grid List
NameDate of birthDate of deathAwards
Fagan, Norman 25-05-1944
Fagre, Ivan B.  
Fairbanks, Douglas Elton (Jr.)09-12-190907-05-2000more
Fake, Gordon C.  
Fargo, Lynn D.  
Farinholt, Joseph A. "Lightning"17-07-192211-06-2002more
Farley, Arley O.  
Farmer, Asa E.  
Farni, Robert F.  
Farris, Fred04-08-192420-11-1943
Faurot, Robert L. 03-03-1943
Fawcett, Wayne W.  
Feaster, Clarence E.  
Featherston, John H. J. 24-03-1945
Feemster, Erskine Leroy  
Fellows, John Benjamin (Jr.)16-02-191030-03-1974
Fenno, Frank Wesley, Jr.11-09-190216-09-1973
Fenton, Lee R.  
Ferebee, Thomas Wilson09-11-191816-03-2000more
Ferguson, Frank W.  
Ferguson, Hugh  
Ferrara, Merrill S.  
Ferrari, Edward J.  
Ferreira, Francisco  
Ferrera, John A.  
Ferrone, Daniel L.  
Fetters, Wayne M.  
Fetto, August F.  
Feury, Donald Ward12-06-191020-12-1942
Fiedler, Benjamin E., Jr.  
Fields, James H.26-06-192017-06-1970more
Fillman, William D.  
Findley, Joseph Allen 17-09-1944more
Fink, Henry J.  
Fiordalisi, Vincent E. 08-12-1944
Fish, Jim, III16-02-189929-05-1943
Fisk, Harold R. 09-01-1943
Fitzgerald, William Lyle22-10-192200-00-1967
Fitzpatrick, Lawrence G. "Larry"01-09-192315-06-2010
Flack, Einar 26-09-1944
Flager, George W.  
Flanagan, Luis J.  
Flannick, Gerard J.  
Fleming, Patrick Dawson17-01-191816-02-1956more
Fletter, Kenneth A.  
Flint, Harry Albert "Paddy"00-00-188824-07-1944
Flintz, Edwin O.  
Floege, Ernest F.06-01-189809-04-1996
Flynn, John F., Jr.  
Flynn, Ralph M.  
Foley, Bernard Lawrence 29-03-1944
Foley, Joseph Ferrall 00-00-1995
Foley, William C.  
Foley, William H. 00-00-1945
Fomby, Clifton E.29-01-191922-11-1943
Foote, Glenn S. 10-08-1943
Foote, Richard F. 00-08-2009
Foote, Theodore V.  
Ford, Seth A. 26-08-1942
Foreman, Charles L. "Chuck"10-09-192511-12-2009
Foreman, Howard Clark08-09-192031-07-1971more
Forney, Andrew, Jr.  
Forney, Paul F. 30-07-1944
Forrest, Robert W.03-03-192109-12-2000
Foster, Harry Wickwire02-04-190216-08-1964more
Foster, John Lee02-01-1913 
Foulconer, Paul E.  
Fouts, James O.  
Fowler, John M.  
Fowlkes, Alpheus E., Jr. 02-10-1944
Fox, Ernest D.  
Fox, George J.  
Fox, George L.15-03-190003-02-1943more
Fox, Keith B. 30-01-1945
Fox, Oliver Lawrence08-10-192900-00-1990
Fraboni, John R.  
Francis, David  
Frandsen, Earl C.00-00-190209-01-1945
Frank, Anthony Mutrie02-02-191730-10-2008more
Frankland, Robert E.  
Fray, John R.  
Frazier, Leroy E.  
Frear, Harry J.30-07-192002-09-1985
Fredel, John09-06-191316-02-2003
Frederick, Charles E. 20-10-1943
Frederick, Robert Tryon14-03-190729-11-1970more
Fredrick, Arthur A.  
Freeland, Alfred  
Freeland, Frank 12-12-1942
Freeman, Glenn  
Freeman, William Thomas  
Freet, Donald E.23-10-192000-02-2010
Freund, John Frederick27-04-191822-03-2001
Frey, Clarence Toland 14-03-1945
Frick, Leonard E.  
Friedman, Egon E.  
Friend, Emery D. H.  
Frihauf, Michael Anthony30-09-191724-07-1944
Frisbie, Julian Neil30-11-189428-04-1963more
Frisby, Elwood D.29-04-1929 
Frost, Laurence Hugh22-07-190223-05-1977
Frost, Raymond C.  
Fry, James C.  more
Frysinger, James C.  
Fuelling, Bernard L.  
Fuhrer, Ernest C. 16-03-1945
Fulcher, Lee Roy G.  
Fulkerson, Wade H., Jr.  
Fullam, Mark W.  
Fuller, Gilbert H.20-03-1918 more
Fuller, Horace Williams "Hod" 00-08-1989
Fuller, Hurley E.27-11-189429-04-1975more
Funk, Leonard A. Jr.27-08-191620-11-1992more

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